Shoe-former.



PATENTED MAR.22,1904.

F. A. HEATH.

SHOE FORMER. I APPLICATION FILED JUNE 10, 1903.

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' UNITED STATES Patented March 22, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

SHOE-FORMER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 755,488, dated March 22, 1904:.

Application filed June 10, 1903. Serial No. 160,943. (No model.) i

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatI, FORREST A. HEATH, a citizen of the United States, residing at J ersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shoe-Formers, of which the following is a specification.

The primary object of this invention is to devise a novel contrivance for maintaining the shape of a boot or shoe and to prevent the same from warping, curling, or wrinkling when removed from the foot and in a damp or moist condition, thereby obviating creasing or cracking of the leather and prolonging the period of usefulness of the shoe;

The former is composed of two sections or parts longitudinally adjustable, so as to be readily adapted for different sizes of shoes, the outer ends of the sections or parts being rounded to obviate injurious pressure upon the toe and heel of the shoe.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means for effecting the result reference is to be had to the following description and drawings hereto attached.

While the essential and characteristic features of the invention are susceptible of modification, still the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section of a shoe, showing the former in operative position. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the former. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the former on the line X X of Fig. 2, the screw-section or part being in full.

' Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The former presents the appearance of a stick and is adjustable as to length, being composed of parts or sections 1 and 2,con-

nected by means of a screw-thread joint to facilitate varying the length of the stick or former to suit the length or size of the shoe to be shaped. The section or part 1 is provided at one end with a longitudinal opening 3, internally threaded to receive the threaded portion 4 of the section or part 2. The outer end of the section 1 is enlarged, as shown at 5, to provide a head of ample size. to engage with the toe portion of the shoe and prevent bulging or distortion thereof from concentrating the pressure upon a small surface. The outer end of the section or part 2 is enlarged, as shown at 6, for a like purpose and also to provide a knob or grip to enable a firm hold being obtained upon the part 2 when turning the same relative to the part 1 to vary the length of the stick or former. hen the shoe, boot, or kindred foot-covering is not worn, the shape thereof is preserved by introducing the stick or former therein, about as indicated in Fig. 1, one end of the device bearing against the toe portion of the shoe and the opposite end bearing against the heel portion. To adapt the stick or former to the size of the shoe, the parts 1 and 2 are turned so as to lengthen or shorten the stick, as may be required. After the stick or former has been adjusted to the proper size, so as to bear with suflicient force against the toe and heel portions of the shoe to maintain the proper shape thereof, the device is introduced into the shoe and the heel end pressed down, so as to engage firmly with the heel of the shoe, as indicated most clearlyin Fig. 1. By reason of the peculiar formation of the device, so as to approximate the appearance of a stick, it may be introduced into the shoe with either end foremost.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- A shoe-former having the general appearance of a stick and composed of two slender approximately similar sections, one of the sections having an end portion hollow or tubular and internally threaded and the other section being externally threaded to screw into the tubular section to admit of lengthening and shortening the stick, both sections having their outer ends transversely expanded to provide a head and knob to facilitate turning of the sections and to present an extended surface for contact of the ends of the stick with, respectively, the toe and heel portions of the shoe, substantially as specified. 10

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FORREST A. HEATH. [L. s.] Witnesses:

WM. H. BROWNING, T. J. CUMMINGS. 

